Method of manufacturing antimony oxid.



A. L. STARK. METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ANTIMONY OXID.

APPLICATION IILBD DBO.11,1911.

1,096,468. Patented May 12,1914.

w: m E i smk UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR L. STARK, OF ELYRIA, OHIO. ASSIGNOR. BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE ENAMEL COMPANY OF AMERICA. OF ELYRIA, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

" METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN TIMON Y OXID.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Application filed December 11, 1911. Serial No. 665.004.

[0 all l 'llom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. STARK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Elyria, county of Lorain, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Manufacturing Antimony (kid, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other invent-ions. i

The object of the present invention is the provision of a method for the manufacture of antimony oxid (Sb,0,) from the sulfid in which form antimony chiefly occurs in nature, such sulfid being known in mineralogy as antimony glance or stibnite.

The present improved process is based on the discovery that such antimony sulfid may be burned to the oxid and the sulfur simultaneously eliminated in the form of sulfur dioxid along with the other waste gases produced in such operation of burning.

Said invention then, consists of the steps hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail one approved method of carrying out the invention, such disclosed mode, however, constituting but one of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be "used.

In said annexed drawings:-The single figure there appearing, represents in more or less diagrammatic fashion, the apparatus adapted for carrying on my improved process.

lnasmucl as such apparatus is thus dia grammatically shown, its separate description is not deemed necessary, but such description may be incorporated in the explanation of the stepsof the process proper, which will now be given.

The stibuite or antimony sulfid is prelin1i narily ground or pulverized, so as to be in the form of a fine powder. This disintegrated or powdered sulfid is then charged into a feeding hopper 1 provided with a screw feed 2, by which it may be continuously fed into the air jet 3 of the blow pipe l. Air is forced through such jet by a blower 5, while a pipe surrounding such jet, so as to form the outer tube of the blow pipe 4 is connected with a gas main 6. When the gas It should also be noted that the the amount of fuel, in the form of gas, that is required for the burning operation just described, a considerable economy is effected over the prevalling method of oxidizing the metal to obtain the product under consideration. I hate, furthermore, found that it is necessary to avoid too high a temperature in the furnace chamber, for the reason that the antimony oxid Sb,O which is formed as a result of the combustion of the sulfid in the manner described, passes through a liquid state before solidifying. If globules of this liquid are allowed to collect, they will, under the influence of a high temperature, oxidize still further, and, from the undesirable antimonic oxid. Accordingly, not only is the temperature in the furnace chamber properly regulated, but the walls of such chamber are spaced far enough apart to prevent the deposition of the antimony oxid thereon before it has passed through such liquid state and assumed the desired form of minute, solid particles. These latter, in

deed, evince no great tendency to collect and remain in the furnace chamber, but are carried by the draft into the succeeding p'ortions of the apparatus.

Directly following the furnace chamber is a series of cooling ducts 8 and associated settling chambers 9, through which such products are drawn, by means of a suction fan 10 and connecting pipes 11.. The numi ber of said ducts and settling chambers is iu'imaterial, two being shown by way of illus- [ration un-rcly. Each chamber consists of a hopper-shapcd box provided with a door through which the heavier antin'umy oxid may be removed after settling. 'lhe sulfur dioxid on the contrary. remains in the state of a gas throughout its progress through such chambers, and is thence discharged, along with the other waste gases from the combustion taking place in the retorts, by

the fan into a dust collector, where the last trace of antimony oxid is removed. Such dust collector comprises a chamber 12' and another chamber l connected by cotton tubes 13- or the like, the discharge pipe from fan 10 leading into said chamber 14,

.so that the products of combustion are finally passed into the latter before being discharged from the apparatus. These tubes retain all solid particles, but permit the gaseous constituents to escape. Such solid particles, forming the remaining antimony oxid, are from time to time shaken from the tubes into the chamber 14 which serves as a receptacle at the bottom of the dust collector through the chamber 7 without permitting the adhesion of any of the particles of sulfid or the oxid to the walls of said oh mber, which is undesirable as previousl explained.

By reason of'the'regulation, which it is thusseen is rendered possible, I am enabled to prevent the production of any but' the desired antimony oxid (Sb O only an insignificant quantity of the higher oxid ($15 0 being found in the .resultantprod not. In other words, by having the chamber arranged and constructed soas to im mediately cool the oxide that are -iititial1y I formed upon ignition of the combustible mixture of air and gaseous hydrocarbon fuel and the sulfid suspended therein, only the desired form of oxid is produced; and by havin the walls of such chamber. spaced suflicient y far apart to prevent the condensation of such oxid thereon, the changing of the latter into the undesirable higher oxid is prevented. The operation, it will be seen, moreover, is acontinuous one, and directly converts the naturally eccurring mineral into a commercial article without any preliminary or intermediate'treatment, save for the grinding of the sulfid in order to permitit to be introduced into the blow pipe. It should further be noted that while the metal itself is poisonous in character and re' uires hence to be handled very carefully, t 'e sulfid is free from this objectionable quality, and so may be utilized with -impunity; while at the same time an actual that form the waste products of the opera:

economy in-fuel results from the use of said sulfid owing to the fuel value of the sulfur in the compound.

It will be understood, of course, that in practice the sulfur dioxid and other fumes,

tion as described, will require to be conducted to aflstaclr after escaping from the .oxids immediately after they are formed, so

roaches dust collector. The tubes 13 of the latter will hence be desirably inclosed in a chamher (not shown)'that is connected with a suitable stack. o y I Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the process herein disclosed, provided the step or steps stated by any one of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated step or steps be employed;

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1 1. The method of manufacturing anti mony oxid which consists in igniting powdered antimony sulfid While in a state of suspension, thereby producing a mixture of antimony oxid and sulfur dioxid; cooling such oxids immediately after they. are formed, so asto' prevent the formation of antimonic oxid; and then separating the antimony oxid from the other products of combustion.

2. The method of manufacturing antimony oxid, which consists in igniting powdered antimony sulfid while in a state of suspension-and out of contact with any surface, thereby producing a mixture of antimony oxid an sulfur dioxid; cooling such as to prevent the formation of antimonic oxid; and .then passing the products ofcombustion through a settling chamber and dust collector, whereby the antimony om7d is separated from the: other products of combustion.

3. The method of manufacturing antimony oxid, which consists indischarging a combustible mixture of gases into a cham-' her, with powdered antimony sulfid suspended in such mixture; ignitingfsuch mix ture of gases and sulfid thereby producing a mixture of antimony oxid with sulfur dioxid; cooling such oxids immediately after r they are formed, thus preventing the formation of antimonic'oxid;' and then separat-. ing the antimony oxid from the other productsof combustion. v

4. The method f manufacturing antimony oxid, which consists in discharging a combustible mixture of air and hydrocarbon; fuel into a chamber with "powdered anti" mony sulfid suspended insu'ch mixture; igniting such mixture and sulfid thereby producin a mixture of antimony oxid and sulfur dioxid; cooling such oxids immediately after they are formed, thus preventing the formation of antimonic oxid; and then separatlngthe antimony oxid from the other products of combustion.

5. The method of manufacturing anti-' mixture; igniting such mixture and sulfid, thereby producin a mixture of antimon oxid and sulfur ioxid; cooling such oxi 5 immediately; and then passing such roducts of combustion through a settling 0 am- 20 her and dust collector, whereby the antimony oxid is separated from the other products of combustlon.

Signed by me this 6 day of December, 1911.

ARTHUR L. STARK.

Attested b- L. S. AUVEB, L. B. Fnuvnn. 

